Skills

This is the Expert Skill (Computer Security) skill, renamed due to no longer being just an Expert Skill and instead being used to actually do things, rather than simply provide knowledge.

Electronics Operation (Drones)

IQ/Hard

This is a new specialty of Electroncs Operation skill. It covers all robots and teleoperation devices, including telepresence software and implants. This includes aspects of communications and electronic counter-countermeasures, but not in the amount of detail as those specialties. When floated to DX, this skill acts as a DX-based skill cap, similar to Environment Suit skill.

Expert Skill (Cybernetics)

IQ/Hard

Default: Expert Skill (Robotics)-4.

Expert Skill (Cybernetics) grants knowledge of different models of cybernetics and other human augmentation technology (including wetware and genetic engineering), including the basics of how they work, how they interface with the original human body, and some idea of their flaws and how they can go wrong. It isn’t much use in fixing problems, as it doesn’t cover tool use or include any hands-on experience, but it may help with diagnosis and identification. It can substitute for Bioengineering, Diagnosis, Electrician, Electronics Repair, Engineer (Cybernetics), or Mechanic (Robotics) in matters relating to general cybernetic and augmentation design and standard models and features.

Expert Skill (Robotics)

IQ/Hard

Default: Expert Skill (Cybernetics)-4.

Expert Skill (Robotics) grants knowledge of different models of robots and the basics of how they work,mentally and physically, including some idea of their flaws and how they can go wrong. It isn’t much use in fixing problems, as it doesn’t cover tool use or include any hands-on experience, but it may help with diagnosis (GM’s option). It can substitute for Computer Programming, Electrician, Electronics Repair, Engineer (Robotics), or Mechanic (Robotics) in matters relating to general robot design and standard robot models and behaviors.

Research

IQ/Average

A new optional specialty for the Research skill is available – Research (Background Check). This specialty represents being able to look up information on people, specifically. Roll against skill, with a modifier equal to the subject’s Status plus the absolute value of their greatest Reputation. This normally takes one hour per attempt; use Haste modifiers to represent searching a pre-compiled database or performing a cursory search on the net. On a success, the amount of information obtained depends upon your margin of success. Success by 0 nets you the subject’s basic information – name, nationality, occupation. Success by 10, or a critical success, gives you detailed information on the subject’s entire life, from their birth to education to employment to run-ins with the law; the GM adjudicates the information provided between those bounds as he sees fit. On a failure, there are too many potential matches to sift through or you don’t find the subject. On a critical failure, you think you found the subject – but it’s the wrong person!

Modifiers: -5 if all you have is a picture of the subject; -4 if you only have audio and video of the subject; -2 if you only have the subject’s name; +0 if you have an image plus the subject’s first and last name; +1 if you have the subject’s full name; +2 if you have a unique identifier, such as a government-issued identification number.

Techniques

Each level of this technique allows you to ignore one level of Haste modifiers; if you have all five levels, you can perform that search near-instantly, and even ‘long’ searches take at most 10% of the normal time.

You specialize in breaking systems – not just turning them off or formatting their drives, but overcoming safety systems to force computer systems to overheat and melt or otherwise destroy their components. Use the Damage System technique in place of Computer Hacking or Computer Security in Damaging the System attempts.

You are skilled at writing fast, temporary strings of code to circumvent problems as they come up.

Each level of this technique allows you to ignore one level of Haste modifiers when writing temporary code, such as for use with Complementary Skills. The maximum time reduction is about 10%, going from one hour per attempt to five minutes.

You are skilled at detecting and purging Viruses, Worms, and other malicious programs from a system. Use the Worm Slayer technique in place of Computer Security when attempting to discover or remove a trojan or other virus.